Brighton are in search of a new coach after Chelsea poached Graham Potter by activating his release clause, and they reached out to Roberto De Zerbi to fill their opening. The gaffer is currently a free agent after terminating his contract with Shakhtar Donetsk due to the war. They formally won the League last season before the stoppage.
According to Corriere della Sera, Bologna targeted the ex-Sassuolo boss to replace Sinisa Mihajlovic. However, he refused to take the job out of respect for his colleague since he was sacked and didn’t step down on his own. The Felsinei ultimately brought in Thiago Motta.
The early talks between Brighton and De Zerbi have been positive. The parties will meet in the next few days to discuss the plans and the contract. The gaffer is keen on a stint in the Premier League. During the summer, Bournemouth pursued him, but he opted to wait.
As per Michele Criscitello, there’s momentum towards an agreement. The coach likes the squad for its attitude and mentality. If he and the Seagulls came to term, he would become the second Italian manager on an English bench after Antonio Conte.
Our Take on De Zerbi and Brighton
It would be an excellent landing spot, and he would easily be able to carry on the excellent work of his predecessor. He got handed a raw deal with the whole Shakhtar ordeal. While honorable, not going to Bologna also makes perfect sense for his career progression. It would have been a step down compared to Sassuolo. He seems interested in staying abroad, but one has to wonder whether the opportunity for him to helm a top Serie A outfit could present itself sooner than expected.
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